Sean Crossland, interim director of the Thayne Center for Service and Learning, has steadily worked his way up the ranks of community service.
Crossland fondly remembers his time as a wilderness therapist in Florida and North Carolina. Being able to coach and mentor youth and work with a broad range of people has helped him in his role at Salt Lake Community College.
“Doing wilderness therapy was awesome, and counseling was a great experience,” Crossland says.
Four years ago, Crossland accepted a part-time job at the Thayne Center as a community partnership coordinator, and later became full-time manager of the Civically Engaged Scholars program.
He says a primary role of the Thayne Center is to develop and maintain partnerships with local nonprofits and community organizations.
“We have about 120 community partnerships [with] organizations that are really excited to work with SLCC students and service-learning classes,” Crossland says. “That’s a big part of what we do.
“We can help students find the perfect [opportunity] for them in [something] they might really enjoy.”
Community is at the heart of Crossland’s work.
In addition to his duties at the Thayne Center, Crossland is chairman of SLCC’s Sustainability Committee, where he works to gain group consensus and approval for funding to support campus and community efforts.
Crossland also serves on the Utah Nonprofits and Revolution United Board.
SLCC students and staff can follow Crossland’s lead and be more civically engaged.
He says the Thayne Center is available to provide “umbrella exposure” to community concerns while making a positive difference in lifting the lives of others in need.
Crossland believes individual community involvement is central to the Thayne Center’s most critical work and he can’t say enough about the incredible connections made there.
